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The Day After 59.0: Losing streak reaches four as Oilers struggle in return from Olympics
Photo credit: © Kiyoshi Mio-Imagn Images
The Edmonton Oilers are back, and so are their problems.
In the team’s first game following the three-week Olympic break, the Oilers surrendered three separate leads, including two different two-goal cushions, in a 6-5 loss to the Anaheim Ducks.
Edmonton has now dropped four straight games dating back to late January, allowing 22 goals during that stretch.
Jack Roslovic put the visiting team ahead just 13 seconds into the first period, then Ryan Nugent-Hopkins gave the Oilers a two-goal lead in the middle of the frame. The advantage was short-lived. Just one minute after Edmonton went up by two, Ian Moore beat Tristan Jarry from the faceoff circle to cut the deficit, and the Ducks tied it early in the second on the power play.
The Oilers appeared to regain control late in the second period when Zach Hyman and Evan Bouchard scored to restore a two-goal lead at 4-2. Once again, it didn’t hold. Anaheim struck twice in the first three minutes of the third to erase the deficit. Matthew Savoie briefly put Edmonton back in front, but Beckett Sennecke answered less than a minute later to make it 5-5.
That ended Jarry’s night after five goals on 25 shots.
The deciding moment came with just over a minute remaining in regulation. Leo Carlsson fired a cross-ice pass to Cutter Gauthier, who settled a hopping puck and shoved it past a sprawling Connor Ingram for the winner.
Anaheim’s regulation victory pushed the Ducks past Edmonton into second place in the Pacific Division. The Ducks now sit one point ahead of the 28-23-8 Oilers with two games in hand.
More concerning than the standings is the pattern. Defensive coverage broke down repeatedly, the penalty kill faltered again, and timely saves were nowhere to be found. There was hope that the break would offer an opportunity for the Oilers to take a pause and fix some problems. Instead, the team returned to play looking like there hadn’t been a break at all.
What they said…
Forward Matt Savoie on the Oilers being unable to hold leads against Anaheim…
“It was a hard-fought game, trading chances. Both sides just gave up a little too much and they were able to capitalize.”
Oilers head coach Kris Knoblauch on pulling Tristan Jarry in the third period…
“I wasn’t happy with the goaltending. The goals that we gave up, especially in the third period, yeah I didn’t like those. Definitely there were other mistakes, but part of it is you need better goaltending and tonight wasn’t one of his best games.”
Ducks head coach Joel Quenneville on earning his 1,000th NHL victory…
“I wasn’t prioritizing the number. I just wanted to play well tonight and find a way to win. That was the motivation, and it turned out to be a very special one as well.“It was a tremendous game as far as the unpredictability of the outcome. Both teams looked like they were in complete control of the game at some times of that game.”
Anaheim defenceman Jacob Trouba on the comeback victory against Edmonton…
“They’re a dangerous team to give chances to. I think going down two twice and coming back is something to really pull from this game. I think that speaks a lot about the group and the character we’re building in the room.”
Up next…
The Oilers won’t have much time to regroup. They head to Los Angeles on Thursday to face Artemi Panarin and the Kings before wrapping up this three-game road swing Saturday in San Jose against the Sharks.
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